READ Revelation 12:1-5 (JST Appendix)
Why
does John describe the woman clothed with the sun, the child and the dragon as
signs in heaven?
John is describing the prophesies that
God has written in the stars, which he uses for signs (see Moses 2:14 and
Abraham 4:14).
John is using cosmic imagery drawn from
heavenly constellations: dragon = Draco; woman with child = Virgo; altar = Ara;
the lamb = Aries; the lion = Leo; pouring out judgements/plagues = Aquarius,
etc.
In this case, the Woman is Virgo and her
Child is the star Spica; the fact that she is “clothed with the sun” means to
look for this constellation during a time when the sun is within the
constellation; the “moon at her feet” means the moon must also be in the sky
but at the foot of the constellation Virgo, and a “crown of stars” or bright
planets must be present over the “head” of Virgo.
This alignment of Virgo, the sun, the
moon and the stars has happened on 3 occasions that we know of: August 30, 2BC
at 5:30pm over Jerusalem; September 26, 1832 at 5:10pm as seen from
Independence, Missouri, and September 23, 2017 (when the crown stars consisted
of Mercury, Mars and Venus) – this last date had the most perfect alignment of
the stated heavenly signs; all of these occurred near or on the Feast of
Trumpets, which means the sign is as a “herald from heaven”; in 2017, there was
an additional player: the planet Jupiter (which symbolizes the Father and the
King or Kingdom of the Father, as Venus symbolizes Christ) was located in the
“belly” of the woman and because of retrograde motion, had stayed in that
position for the previous 9 or 10 months before being “born” and leaving the
constellation in October, 2017 – to symbolize the birth of the Kingdom of God.
Why
does God use the stars as signs?
They can mark specific events in time on
earth; when stars, planets, the sun or the moon align in specific ways, God
uses those alignments to tell those on earth who can read His signs certain
messages which are time bound.
Because unlike scriptures, they cannot be
changed by conspiring men.
But their meaning can be forgotten if
people separate themselves from God and His Holy Spirit (His mind).
READ Revelation 12:6-8, 12-14, 17 (JST
Appendix)
Who
is the Woman Clothed with the Sun?
The Church of God – those who have heard
the testimony of Jesus (i.e. the “Sons of God” or Church of the Firstborn).
Not the earthly institution of a church, in
any age.
This is referring to a heavenly Church or
fellowship of believers in Christ – whether on Earth or before the foundations
of this world.
Who
is her child?
The Kingdom of God (“Jupiter”).
Kingdom = Heirs and Joint-heirs = the
Family or House of God = Sons and Daughters of God.
What
is the relationship between the Woman/Church and the Child/Kingdom?
The church is the mother to the “kingdom”
because it is where the truths are taught that lead directly, if one will “grow
up” or “awake and arise” on the principles taught, to being sealed up as a
“son” or “daughter” (i.e. being adopted in as part of the House or Family or
royal Kingdom of God).
The church is not a mortal kingdom where
earthly monarchs wield authority over their subjects – it is a family or
God.
Who
or what is the dragon?
Dragon imagery in many ancient
civilizations is positive – the kundalini energy in the Hindu tradition,
Quetzalcoatl for the Aztecs, good luck and strength in Chinese culture, etc;
the serpent or dragon is also representative of Christ (see Numbers 21:7-9).
While the “serpent” or “dragon” is also
representative of Christ, this dragon is trying to supplant the true Son of God
by reimaging the dragon as himself.
It is Lucifer, playing the role of a
Satan.
A dragon is fearsome and destroys (Christ
will come as the Lion to utterly waste all who cannot stand in His presence).
The constellation Draco is always present
in the north or “top” of the sky if you are in the northern hemisphere (it is
wrapped around Ursa Minor, the Little Dipper, and is facing away from Polaris
the North Star – in Ursa Minor’s front paw), and a third of the visible stars
in the sky are within the main coil of its tail (meaning if you were to look at
all of the stars in the sky in a circular star chart, the “pie piece” made by
the angle of his coiling tail “captures” a third of the stars in the sky – from
midway through the ram (Aries) to the bull (Taurus) and the twins (Gemini) – it
also includes Orion.
When
did Satan fight Michael and the Church and Kingdom of God?
In heaven before the foundation of this
World.
And again here on Earth, where the war
continues.
How
does Satan deceive the whole world?
By pretending to be Christ or the “god of
this world” – the “dragon”.
Or by pretending there is no Satan or
Christ – that man is the god of this world.
Or by calling good evil and evil good
(i.e. the accuser of the brethren or Sons of God – see Revelation 12:10).
What
are the meanings of this symbolic prophesy and when has it already occurred in
the sky?
August 30, 2
BC: occurring 6 months before the birth of Christ (April 6, 1 BC), this sign
occurred on what might well have been the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah)
which is the Jewish New Year and is celebrated by the blowing of the shofar
ram’s horn; John the Baptist, the Elias or forerunner, herald and witness for
Christ, was born 6 months before Jesus, so this sign may have occurred on his
birthday; as this day was the first day of the new year, the sign also heralds
that in this year (1BC), the birth of Christ would occur; after Christ was born
(really, after John the Baptist was born), the Kingdom (or House or family) of
God was come again to the Earth.
September 26,
1832: in the dedicatory prayer for the Kirtland Temple, the Lord revealed that
in the latter days, the Kingdom of God had already been set up previous to 1836
(see D&C 109:72); again, this day was the Feast of Trumpets (in 1832),
heralding the birth of the Kingdom of God that year (Sep 1832-Sep 1833); it is
interesting that the “star” that was “born” from Virgo in 1832 was Venus (not
Jupiter), which symbolizes Christ; following Passover (April 6, 1833) a general
conference of the Church was held in Independence, MO – Joseph Smith summarized
the day by saying “The day was spent in a very agreeable manner, in giving and
receiving knowledge which appertained to this last kingdom — it being just 1800
years since the Savior laid down his life that men might have everlasting life";
that "they thought upon the time when this world came into existence"
and "they thought of the time when Israel ate the Passover"; and they
"felt like the shepherds who watched their flocks by night" at the
birth of the Savior (see DHC 1:337); seven months later, on November 13, 1833,
a further part of the Revelation prophesy came to fruition when the largest
meteor storm ever recorded occurred – the sky was so bright with falling stars
that the Saints thought their houses were on fire - Joseph Smith said of this
event: “November 13. About 4 o'clock a.m. I was awakened by Brother Davis
knocking at my door and calling me to arise and behold the signs in the
heavens. I arose, and to my great joy, beheld the stars fall from heaven like a
shower of hailstones; a literal fulfillment of the word of God, as recorded in
the holy scriptures ...Some at times appeared like bright shooting meteors,
with long trains of light following in their course, and in numbers resembled
large drops of rain in sunshine. These seemed to vanish when they fell behind
the trees, or came near the ground. Some of the long trains of light following
the meteoric stars were visible for some seconds; these streaks would curl and
twist up like serpents writhing. The appearance was beautiful, grand, and
sublime beyond description; and it seemed as if the artillery and fireworks of
eternity were set in motion to enchant and entertain the Saints, and terrify
and awe the sinners of the earth. Beautiful and terrific as was the scenery, it
will not fully compare with the time when the sun shall become black like
sack-cloth of hair, the moon like blood, and the stars fall to the earth (Rev.
6:12-13)” — (see DHC 1:439-440); at this same time, the Saints were being forced
from their homes in Jackson County and were seeking refuge on the banks of the
Missouri River as the mob unleashed its fury; meanwhile, in Kirtland between
1833 and the end of 1836 (for 3.5 years), the Church enjoyed a season of peace
“in the wilderness” (see D&C 109:73) which reached a climax with the
dedication of the Kirtland temple with all of its associated spiritual
manifestations – perhaps fulfilling the prophesy of the Woman (Church) escaping
to the wilderness for 3.5 years; the season of peace ended in 1837 when all
hell broke loose in Kirtland, ending in Joseph Smith’s fleeing for his life in
early 1838 – mirroring the dragon’s release after Michael had “been at war”
with him during those Kirtland years (protecting the Saints during that season).
September 23,
2017: Again occurring on the Feast of Trumpets, this instance of the
convergence of Virgo, the sun, the moon, the crowning “stars”, and the “birth
star” is the most perfectly aligned of the three dates detailed above; this
time the planet in the “womb” was Jupiter, which symbolizes the “king” and
“god” – so the birth or rebirth of the Kingdom of God is strongly alluded to;
if the Kingdom of God is the return of the House of God to the Earth (House
meaning temple but really meaning family – with the temple as the required
structure needed to enable the covenant to be administered by heavenly
messengers to earthly participants), and in the last days the Gentiles were to
be the first to receive it but were to reject it (see 3 Nephi 16:10), then perhaps
September 23, 2017 is the herald of the Father’s (Jupiter) intention to restore
the covenant for the final time to the House of Israel (see 3 Nephi 16:11-12; 3
Nephi 20:33-35, 46), fulfilling or ending the “times of the Gentiles” (see
D&C 45:25-33). For additional
insight, read John Pratt’s article “Clothed with the Sun, Moon Under Her
Feet” https://www.johnpratt.com/items/docs/2016/clothed_with_sun.html and Adrian Larsen’s blog
“To the Remnant”, the post is called “Centerpoint” (December 20, 2020) https://www.totheremnant.com/2020/12/center-point.html
